Slow Cooked Spicy Apple Pear Butter Food

SLOW COOKED SPICY APPLE-PEAR BUTTER

Steps:

• 1. Peel, core and slice apples and pears thin.
• 2. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt; whisk to combine.
• 3. Place about 1/4 of the apples and pears in the crock pot, sprinkle 1/4 of the sugar mixture over the fruit in slow cooker; toss to combine. Begin layering the rest of the fruit and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture until cooker is full. NOTE: Fill the crock pot up plus some extra. The fruit will cook down.
• 4. Cook on low setting for 10 hours; stirring occassionally. Mixture will thicken and become dark as it cooks.
• 5. After 10 hours; stir in the vanilla. Use and immersion blender to puree the fruit until smooth. Continue cooking on low another 2 hours uncovered.
• 6. Ladle hot apple-pear butter into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of the jars clean with clean damp cloth, cover with hot sterilized lids, and screw bands on.
• 7. Allow jars to rest undisturbed on countertop for six hours or overnight.Check lids to ensure they sealed.
• 8. Apple butter will keep for up to one year in a cool, dark place.

APPLE PEAR BUTTER WITH PIE CRUST DIPPERS

Steps:

• For the apple pear butter: Place the apples and pears in the insert of a slow cooker. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup over the fruit, then drop the tea bag in and sprinkle with the salt. Gently stir to coat the fruit, being mindful not to break the tea bag. Cover and set to cook on high until the fruit is completely tender, about 8 hours. Discard the tea bag.
• Scoop the fruit into the bowl of a food processor with a slotted spoon and pulse until smooth, working in batches if necessary, about 1 minute. Pour the fruit puree into a large nonstick pot. Place the pot over low heat and bring to a simmer, then simmer until the volume is reduced by a third and the color darkens and intensifies, 35 to 40 minutes.
• For the pie crust dippers: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Place the round of pie dough on a cutting board. Add a splash of water to the beaten egg and brush the crust with the egg wash. Combine the sugar, apple pie spice and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the pie dough. Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice the round into 20 strips. Place on the lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
• Serve the butter alongside the pie crust dippers or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. If preparing in advance, allow to cool completely before covering and storing.

SLOW COOKER SPICED APPLE AND PEAR BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut the fruit into large chunks. Process the apples and pears in a food processor, working in batches, until finely grated. Transfer the fruit to the slow cooker.
• Sprinkle in the brown sugar, apple juice, molasses, allspice, cloves and salt, and add the cinnamon sticks. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on high heat.
• Remove the lid and reserve the cinnamon sticks. Carefully return the fruit, in batches, to the food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the processed fruit back to the slow cooker along with the cinnamon sticks. Continue cooking on high until thick and spreadable, another 2 to 4 hours. Allow the mixture to cool before transferring to sealed airtight containers.
• Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.

SLOW-COOKER PEAR AND APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Peel, quarter, and core pears and apples. In a food processor, finely grate fruit (in batches, if necessary), then transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in dark-brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on high, 4 hours.
• Remove cinnamon stick and reserve. Transfer mixture to processor (in batches, if necessary) and process until smooth. Return to slow cooker, along with cinnamon stick, and cook on high, uncovered, until mixture is thick and browned, 4 hours. Discard cinnamon stick and let mixture cool. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate, up to 3 weeks, or freeze, up to 3 months.

SLOW-COOKER PEAR BUTTER

Steps:

• Place spices on a double thickness of cheesecloth. Gather corners of cloth to enclose spices; tie securely with string. In a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker, toss remaining ingredients. Add spice bag, covering with pears., Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until pears are tender. Remove spice bag., Puree pear mixture using an immersion blender. Or, cool slightly and puree mixture in a blender in batches; return to slow cooker., Cook, uncovered, on high 1-2 hours or until mixture is thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Store cooled pear butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Freeze option: Freeze cooled pear butter in freezer containers up to 3 months. Liquids expand as they freeze, so leave extra room at the top of the freezer container. To use, thaw in refrigerator.